Removable Hot Plates for Cooking?

[Hesketh]

Brand new here, so hi everyone! Recently had a woodburning stove installed which features removable hot plates. I'd always assumed this is just to make cleaning them easier, but the other half is convinced they're supposed to be removed for cooking/boiling a kettle (ie. so the bottom of the pot/kettle is in direct contact with the fire).

Trying to replace the plates into the red hot stovetop once you've finished boiling the kettle sounds insanely dangerous and impractical to me, but he's so utterly and unwaveringly convinced I'm second guessing myself. Can anyone tell me if he's actually right?!

[slim reaper]

Plates remain on the stove and cook on top of them 

[Hesketh]

4 minutes ago, slim reaper said:

Plates remain on the stove and cook on top of them 

That's what I thought, but he's so totally convinced. Is there any scenario where the plates would be removed while the stove is in use?

[slim reaper]

I can't remember which cooker it was but years ago one had a round hotplate that could be removed and a wok dropped into  the hole, I think they sold the wok as well.

 

[openspaceman]

The stoves I have used from rayburn through aga to jotul all have removable cast iron cooking hobs but the pot sits on top of the hob plate, there are many third world stoves that are designed to have sunken pots to increase the heat exchange which is important when you wish to minimise wood use while cooking but not at all important when the stove is mainly for space heating.

[Peasgood]

Mine has removeable plates/rings but it is very rare I remove them for cooking. I have a Dutch oven on legs and I have been known to remove the rings so it fits in the hole.

On my old one I sometimes removed them in order to get a log that was too big for the door down into the firebox. My new one has water tubes running across so it isn't possible to do that now.

It is very easy to get them in and out safely, just slide them around on the top, you don't need to pick them up and I wouldn't consider it any more dangerous than removing a hot pan from the hob.

[Rob_the_Sparky]

I don't think I'd want to remove them as you don't want the fumes from the fire in the house, you want them up the chimney.  I guess if you had something that fitted the hole well then maybe it would work.

 

Can you ask the manufacturer or see if you can find a manual for your stove online?

[openspaceman]

48 minutes ago, Rob_the_Sparky said:

I don't think I'd want to remove them as you don't want the fumes from the fire in the house, you want them up the chimney.  I guess if you had something that fitted the hole well then maybe it would work.

 

Can you ask the manufacturer or see if you can find a manual for your stove online?

These things often just drop in and are not sealed so they depend on the depression in the chimney to suck a bit of air in.

[Peasgood]

If the fire has got going properly hardly any smoke comes out when you remove them.

I don't see how you could put a poorly fitting pan on the hole as it would jus fall into the firebox along with your soup.